I'm guessing that if there's anyone out there who thinks the Sox are going to increase the number of teams, sign more scouts or increase the number of minor league players that's probably not going to be happening.

If my guess is true, I'm a little surprised. I just got the impression that Rick was more of a minor league / stat guy type than Kenny.

He is, but he also understands the business of baseball, and increasing money for scouting and player development deducts from the money spent on what pays the bills, White Sox fans will not go through the turnstiles to watch a lengthy rebuilding process. The name of the game is to put asses in the seats at 35th and Shields, and guys playing in Birmingham and Kannapolis are not going to accomplish that goal.

I took it that way. It won't be the first time this has happened and it's gotten oh so tiresome. There aren't as many Sox fans as Cub fans and you're not going to get guaranteed lemming like support from the ones you have. So just deal with that and do your best to build good teams.

Any time Williams mentions the word "fans," the same people keep whining that he's blaming them.

How many of these times have you interpreted his comments as so without him actually blaming the fans?

The Sox attendance this year was awful for a team in first place for the majority of the season. It doesn't matter who is to blame, and what the reasons were behind it. He is stating a fact. Less fans in stadium does take away an energy that is simply impossible for 15,000 die hards to create. He then states this an issue that needed to be addressed, and now it is being addressed.

What is the problem here? Should he act like everything is perfectly fine so he doesn't hurt some fans' feelings?

Hahn says now he probably will not be able to retain Peavy or AJ. He better have a great plan or it's going to be a long year. I'm pretty sure they will let Youk go as well; leaving a huge hole at 3B.I'm holding out hope for the best.

Any time Williams mentions the word "fans," the same people keep whining that he's blaming them.

How many of these times have you interpreted his comments as so without him actually blaming the fans?

The Sox attendance this year was awful for a team in first place for the majority of the season. It doesn't matter who is to blame, and what the reasons were behind it. He is stating a fact. Less fans in stadium does take away an energy that is simply impossible for 15,000 die hards to create. He then states this an issue that needed to be addressed, and now it is being addressed.

What is the problem here? Should he act like everything is perfectly fine so he doesn't hurt some fans' feelings?

And yet ironically the Rays continue to win games. And the Reds don't exactly have a rabid fan base either yet they somehow won the NL central over fan powerhouses like the Cardinals and Cubs.

And somehow teams like the Red Sox and Cubs didn't do anything even with that extra energy. If a bunch of professional players being paid millions of dollars need an extra boost to play better, well, we are in trouble then.

And yet ironically the Rays continue to win games. And the Reds don't exactly have a rabid fan base either yet they somehow won the NL central over fan powerhouses like the Cardinals and Cubs.

And somehow teams like the Red Sox and Cubs didn't do anything even with that extra energy. If a bunch of professional players being paid millions of dollars need an extra boost to play better, well, we are in trouble then.

Please show me where I said it is impossible for a team to win without a rabid fan base?

Please show me where Williams said it is impossible to win without a rabid fan base?

Please show me where I said extra energy will guarantee a playoff birth?

Please show me where Williams said extra energy will guarantee a playoff birth?

The article simply says, without even a quote from Williams, that Williams thought an energetic crowd could add some life to a tired team towards the end of the season.

The Williams quote says he wanted to get a level of energy found in some other big market stadiums. What is wrong with that? Why wouldn't he want that? Why wouldn't the players want that?

No one is saying that was the reason the White Sox fell short. But to act like the players are robots and will show no response whatsoever to a packed house going crazy for them on a September night is a little silly. I'm sure Williams, as a former player and someone who has been in a baseball stadium for the majority of his life, understands the effect the fans can have on a given night. Believe me, the players did not want to play in front of 15,000 while fighting for first place during the last few weeks of the season. None of the players are going to say it made them play worse, or that they needed the fans there to win, but I'm sure they were disappointed. Who knows, maybe it would have helped.

Any time Williams mentions the word "fans," the same people keep whining that he's blaming them.

How many of these times have you interpreted his comments as so without him actually blaming the fans?

The Sox attendance this year was awful for a team in first place for the majority of the season. It doesn't matter who is to blame, and what the reasons were behind it. He is stating a fact. Less fans in stadium does take away an energy that is simply impossible for 15,000 die hards to create. He then states this an issue that needed to be addressed, and now it is being addressed.

What is the problem here? Should he act like everything is perfectly fine so he doesn't hurt some fans' feelings?

It's the context.

That quote came after him stating his disappointment that the Sox couldn't turn all the days of them being in first place into more division titles. Meaning not only this season...

I like what I hear from Hahn, except on one point. Tyler Flowers should not be considered as an everyday catcher. He strikes out at an even larger rate than Viciedo and Dunn - we don't need another low average, all or nothing bat in the lineup, we have one too many of those now.

If A.J. cant be brought back, I hope the Sox can at least add a less expensive platoon catcher who can handle a bat.

He is, but he also understands the business of baseball, and increasing money for scouting and player development deducts from the money spent on what pays the bills, White Sox fans will not go through the turnstiles to watch a lengthy rebuilding process. The name of the game is to put asses in the seats at 35th and Shields, and guys playing in Birmingham and Kannapolis are not going to accomplish that goal.

They aren't going to watch a surprise contender either, so what's the difference? The team isn't getting enough talent on the position level to be in the playoffs.

Any time Williams mentions the word "fans," the same people keep whining that he's blaming them.

How many of these times have you interpreted his comments as so without him actually blaming the fans?

The Sox attendance this year was awful for a team in first place for the majority of the season. It doesn't matter who is to blame, and what the reasons were behind it. He is stating a fact. Less fans in stadium does take away an energy that is simply impossible for 15,000 die hards to create. He then states this an issue that needed to be addressed, and now it is being addressed.

What is the problem here? Should he act like everything is perfectly fine so he doesn't hurt some fans' feelings?

I don't disagree with you. I think attendance was very disappointing this year. Why add to an already bad situation? This ownership group has a long history of antipathy or perceived antipathy towards the fan base. So just shut up about low attendace, make nice, and do what you can to get more people into the park. The recent announced decrease in the price of some tickets is a start. There will always be the negative comparison to the team on the north side. They just have a lot more fans than we do locally, and especially nationally. The current ownership contributed to this imbalance. Anyway, to end this little rant, I don't wish to be lectured about attendance anymore. Let it go Sox management.